You Think Bat Poop Is Crazy
by Grykon
Summary: Continuing my AU 50 Uncivil War story line 3x05, 3x06 What happens when their job to protect the bats is pushed up a week early? AU 50.005
1. Chapter 1

**Greetings dear readers, this is a 2 maybe 3 chapter story. It rewrites 3x05, 3x06 and might include 3x07 as well. I wanted to say as soon as this story is done I am going to try and see if I can finish the Betray story line before continuing this story line or the Knight story line. I don't really like jumping back and forth in the stories this much, if it confuses me at times writing I can only imagine it is confusing reading it. Anyway, to the Adventure! -Tim**

* * *

"Hey guys, I just got a call from the History Museum, they want us to take a look at a Greek pillar, and see if we can figure out what is causing it to deteriorate, and what to do to stop it." Walter said as he hung up his phone.

Paige looked up, "Absolutely not, I turned that down last week."

Walter looked at her in surprise, "Why would you turn it down and not tell me about it?"

Paige looked at him with her mouth open, "Need I remind you of your own words two weeks ago? I'm your projects manager; I don't need your permission in how to direct our resources?"

Toby grinned, "Touché."

Walter glared at him, "Of course, but I just mean why wouldn't you tell me about it, and why you turned it down?"

"Oh, I didn't think to tell you about it. I'm sorry." Paige looked thoughtful, "I turned it down because you won't let me get insurance. Do you know how much some of those pieces are? If something goes wrong,"

Walter interrupted her, "But nothing will go wrong, we're geniuses."

Paige stared at him, "Really? Do I need to remind you how many times things went wrong during our cases and ended up costing Homeland a lot of money? It's simply too big of a risk. One piece not even twenty feet away is worth over $10 million dollars. None of the other companies who do that type of work will take the case. Not to mention if someone was to choose that particular night to break in, we'd be on the hook for half of the cost of what was stolen that their insurance wouldn't cover."

Paige stood up and walked over and sat down in the chair next to his desk, "Walter, I have every faith in you, in all of you, in fixing a problem, but I know the track records of our cases. If anything can go wrong while we're there, it will. It's like fate knows what we're up to and goes, 'how can I screw them this time.' Not to mention how would we ever be able to verify every piece there, that it is the original and not already damaged in someway? I just think it's too big of a financial risk with too many unknowns." She lowered her voice, "Please don't over rule me on this."

Walter looked at her and whispered back, "I wouldn't do that without a really good reason. Your dignity is more important than mine."

Paige smiled and squeezed his hand, "I also don't want a lawsuit that could destroy Scorpion. We do so much good in the world. Or at least let me obtain insurance to protect us."

She could see in his eyes he was thinking and she decided to just wait for him to make his decision. Walter sifted through his meticulous memory recalling every case over the last thirty months and every time they had a problem that wasn't foreseen and the cost of fixing it and he finally shuddered. "You're right; I think there is too big of a chance to risk it. If you don't mind, put together some insurance quotes, regardless to how careful we are, I need to be forward thinking about us as a couple, about our future as a family and I can't risk the company like I could when I was single." Paige smiled and she squeezed his hand, "Thank you baby, sorry, Walter."

Walter winked as he returned her smile.

* * *

Cabe came walking into the Garage with a sour expression on his face as he barked, "Hey guys, everyone gather around Walter's desk."

As they all stepped over he handed Sylvester a stress ball, "We got a problem; remember the job we have for next week on Halloween? It's been moved up to today. Is everything ready for it?"

"Why do I need a stress ball?" Sylvester asked.

"Interesting you should ask that Sly," Cabe told him.

"Yes, we just finished the delivery system yesterday. Toby finished mixing the agents today. We can fill the canister and head down to the caves whenever you're ready." Walter told him.

Sylvester started squeezing the stress ball rapidly.

"What's this we stuff Walt?" Toby looked at him. "I don't know if you noticed or not, but your wheelchair didn't come equipped with rockets to propel you around the caves."

Walter glared at Toby.

"Sorry kid, the Doc is right this time. You'll have to quarterback from the Garage. But don't worry, a friend of mine agent Rusty Evans has agreed to drive by every two hours after we leave to check on you and pick up Ralph from school." Cabe told him.

Walter grabbed his coffee mug and almost threw it before he saw Paige standing there watching, he stopped and sat it back down as he angrily wheeled himself back away from his desk and rolled back to the kitchen. Everyone stared after him, and Paige held up her hand to Cabe as he started to move and she turned and walked back into the kitchen where Walter sat staring off towards the back of the Garage.

* * *

"You want to talk about it baby?" Paige asked as she bent over and wrapped her arms around his neck as she kissed his ear.

"I feel so useless, I'm the team leader, and how do I lead from the Garage while all of you are out there?" Walter told her as he bent his head down and kissed her arm.

Paige smiled, "I understand, I don't like it myself. I'd love for you to at least be there even if it was outside of the caves. I'd still know you were right at hand plus we'd be together on the flight and drive to and from the caves. But you know in this day and age leaders never lead from the field, they lead from other locations."

Walter shook his head, "No, politicians, and people who think they are too good to be out in the field lead that way; they 'lead' from the safety and comfort of an air conditioned office. True leaders still get their hands dirty, they pull the load with everyone else, and they earn their pay."

"Hey, you could take a pay cut and give it to me for this job," Toby said as he popped his head around the corner and looked at them.

"No one invited you into the conversation Toby." Walter growled. Paige stood up and looked back at the shrink.

"Come on 197, you've taken all the risks, especially on the last two jobs, let someone else take some and get the glory." Toby needled him.

Walter spun his chair around, "Let someone else take the risk and get the glory, is that what you think I do, seek glory? To hell with you, what if the person taking the risk was Happy and she was severely injured, would you still be so glib about it?" Walter yelled.

"Leave him alone Toby, your being a jerk." Paige demanded. "Helping Walter with his emotions is my job."

"I don't think so; I think I hit a nerve we need to talk about. And no offense but matters of the mind are literally my job." Toby told her.

"If you really cared about him you'd have helped him without pissing him off every chance you got and then maybe I would never have been needed to help the team." Paige yelled back.

Cabe walked around and smacked Toby's hat off his head, "You heard both of the bosses, get your ass out of here, and leave them alone."

Cabe watched as Toby grabbed his hat and left, "You kids okay?"

They both nodded.

"Let me speak to our boy for a moment Paige, please." Cabe asked.

Paige nodded, "I'll be at my desk, and I want another kiss before we leave." Paige kissed him before she walked out to her desk.

Before Cabe could say anything, "Cabe, if you are making me stay here then you have to protect Paige. The caves are going to be incredibly dangerous."

"Of course I'm making you stay here, how could you possibly help in the caves? You can't even walk on an even floor fifty feet without help yet. And yes, I will watch out for Paige." Cabe told him. Cabe walked over and knelt down on one knee next to him, "And kid, you are not useless. This is just a phase, your not use to having to hang back, you've been in the thick of it since we started this adventure together, so of course its going to hurt to stay behind. But this will pass as soon as you finish recovering."

Walter slowly nodded, "Do me a favor and put a bullet through Toby's vocal cords."

Cabe laughed as he saw a slight smile cross Walter's lips, "Don't tempt me."

* * *

Walter wheeled back out to his desk and opened a drawer, and pulled out a cloth sack, "Paige," he said softly.

Smiling Paige walked over and took the sack from him. Looking inside she frowned as reached in and pulled out a red tinted lens. And she looked at Walter.

"Bats go crazy over white light; these are filters to turn it red, the red light won't disturb them. If something happens to your light filter turn your light off immediately, and get a new filter out of this bag and put it on. That's critical, there's a flashlight inside there with a red lens as well. I replaced the normal clear lens with a red lens, so unless it gets cracked you can just turn it on so you can see to replace your helmet filter. Okay?" Walter caressed her hand.

Paige smiled and kissed him, "Thank you baby."

"Is she allowed to share any of the replacement filters with the rest of us?" Toby asked.

Walter rolled his eyes as Happy smacked his hat off. "What? It's a legitimate question." Toby tried to defend himself.

"Stop pissing him off," Happy glared at Toby.

Paige had kissed Walter three more times before the others walked out of the Garage without her. "I love you baby," Paige said a little sadly as she walked backwards the last three steps.

"I love you Paige, see you soon," Walter told her as he forced a smile before she turned to open the door and left.

Walter wheeled over to the Monitor tree and turned it on as he slipped his coms in, "Testing," Walter said.

"Yep, we can hear you, so can the heavy breathing. She's only been gone for five seconds 197." Toby poked at him. "Ow, my short rib."

Walter smiled, "Thank you Happy."

* * *

Walter was bored as he could be, he couldn't even spend the time just talking to Paige waiting on them to get to the caves because everyone on coms would have been listening.

"Okay, the link up is active, and I am receiving data," Walter told them as the satellite transmitted data from their scanner to the Garage. "Now remember guys, the bats will be docile as long as your lights are masked by the red filters, if yours gets cracked turn your light off as quick as you can, and Paige can get you a new one, except Toby, he's on his own."

Toby replied, "Oh, real mature 197. Ow, my head."

"Thank you Happy," Walter smiled.

While it was a little more exciting now that there was something to do, but Walter still missed Paige terribly, and watching the software as it recorded the scans of the caves was still boring. The office phone rang and he backed up before rolling over to Paige's desk and grabbed the phone, "Scorpion, Walter O'Brien speaking."

"I know what you did you son of a bitch." A male voice said.

"Who is this?" Walter asked as the line went dead.

Walter hung the phone up, with a puzzled expression on his face, the voice had sounded familiar.

"Who was it Walter?" Paige asked.

"He didn't say," Walter replied as he turned around and saw Tim standing there, his face red with anger. "Tim?"

Tim slugged Walter hard across his jaw and Walter's head jerked so hard his coms went flying out, "Thought you weren't going to do anything anymore and stay out of Paige's and my way?" Tim slugged Walter again and his head jerked the other way as a small spray of blood shot across Toby's desk from his busted nose and lip. Walter's head drooped.

* * *

"Walter? WALTER?" Paige yelled and the bats took flight from being startled.

"Paige, calm down, your agitating the bats," Toby cautioned her.

"To hell with that, Walter's in trouble." Paige swore, "Cabe, you got to get help to the Garage, NOW."

Cabe put his finger up to his coms, "Walt? You okay son?"

"No, he's not okay, didn't you hear him? He said Tim. Walter's in danger." Paige almost screamed as she moved towards Cabe.

Cabe started to pull his phone out, "Cabe, don't turn that on, the bats will attack, you'll have to leave the cave, there probably isn't enough cell reception down here anyway. If it wasn't for the signal booster outside our coms wouldn't even work in here." Happy told him.

Paige and Cabe both ran for the exit as quickly as they could as Happy, Toby and Sylvester moved on in. "Do you have a clue where to put this?" Toby asked.

Sylvester nodded, I got the directions from Walter memorized.

* * *

"Bet you and your little team of geniuses think it's pretty funny you got me sent to New Orleans huh?" Tim asked as he held Walter's head up by his hair. "The Navy ruined my career as a Seal, you ruined my career in Homeland," Tim spit in his face and drew back and slugged him again. "Figures a wimpy nerd like you couldn't take a hit, already passed out. Well don't worry; I'll leave Paige a nice present with your broken body."

* * *

Cabe pulled his phone back out as he exited the cave and called Rusty Evans, "Hey Cabe, I'm already on my way over to check on Walter before heading over to pick up Ralph."

"Rusty, Walter is in danger, we got a partial communication from him, he said the name Tim and then communications ended. You got to get there now." Cabe told him.

They heard his siren turn on, "I'm on my way, should be there in less than five minutes Cabe."

Paige looked at Cabe with fear.

* * *

Tim grabbed Walter by his shirt and picked him up and slammed him down hard onto Paige's desk. He heard something crack, "God, I hope that was your back, let's see if I can't make sure it was." He slugged Walter again and then pulled him up by his tie and hit him in the ribs as hard as he could and then switched hands and did it to the other side. Walter's left eye opened at the pain, blood running down his face from his nose. "Oh, that got your attention, those ribs good and tender?" Tim asked with a sadistic grin on his face. "Let's see how another punch makes them feel." Tim slugged him in his ribs again and he clearly felt something snap behind his fist and Walter cried out. Tim grinned in satisfaction as more blood came out of his mouth as he coughed even more. "Oh man, you can't understand how good those sounds and that blood makes me feel," Tim told him.

"Once I heard of this job and knowing that you were in a wheelchair I knew my chance at revenge was here. I faked a call to get the team to leave to take care of the job early so I could have you all to myself." They heard a siren and Tim turned his head for a second listening when he realized it was getting closer he turned back. Walter had grabbed Paige's phone and clocked him with the corner of the phone, at the edge of his right eye, and Tim cried out as he let go of Walter's tie and dropped to one knee.

Tim blinked several times, something was wrong with his right eye. He felt blood running down his cheek. Walter lay on his back on the desk gasping for breath, his right lung puncture by two ribs that broke under Tim's assault. Tim slowly stood up, rage on his face, "You might have blinded my right eye, but I'm going to gut you and leave your entrails all over this place for Paige to find. But," Tim pulled out his Seal knife, "I'm going to take your heart with me. That'll mess Paige up for the rest of her life, not knowing where it is." He tapped on Walter's sternum after he grabbed Walter's shirt and ripped it open. He smiled at the huge bruises on Walter's ribs. He slowly pressed the blade against Walter's abdomen, "This might sting just a bit." He sneered as he pressed down, and the blade began cutting down through the layers of skin, and he started to draw the blade from his left to his right across Walter's abdomen just below Walter's belly button as Walter cried out in pain.

"Freeze," Rusty commanded him.

Tim turned and Rusty fired two shots, the first shot struck dead center of his chest the second struck him between the eyes. Rusty ran over and looked at Walter; as much as he had seen in the field the sight still gave him pause.

Rusty quickly called for an ambulance and then he called Cabe. "Cabe, man, you guys have got to get here as fast as possible. I had to kill someone who was about to kill Walter, but with the amount of damage done, I might have been too late."

* * *

"Sly, Happy, Toby, get your asses out here now, you've got five minutes or we're leaving without you, Walter is in serious trouble." Cabe yelled into the coms.

"Hold your horses, the device is set and we are on our way back." Toby told him.

They heard the rental car start up over the coms, "Oh crap, he's serious," Toby told them. They all picked up their pace running as fast as they could.

Paige pulled out her phone, her hands shaking so bad and tears in her eyes, she struggled to find Sara's number and called her. "Sara, oh Lord, Sara, please I need you to pick up Ralph and watch him for me please. I'll pick him up as soon as I can when we get back."

The guys were jumping into the SUV as Cabe was shifting it into drive and he took off before their doors were even closed.

"Please Sara, Walter has been attacked and they don't know if he is going to make it." Paige pleaded.

Sylvester looked at them, "What happened?"

"Tim attacked Walter, at least from his last words that is who it was." Cabe told him. He reached over and took Paige's hand as she sat crying, "He's going to be okay kid, we have to believe that."

"This is the third time he has been seriously hurt in just a couple of months Cabe. And this one is entirely my fault." Paige cried.

Toby sat forward on the seat, "Paige, this is not your fault. I know I have been a bit more of a jackass the last few days, and I am sorry, but if it was indeed Tim, this is solely his fault. Well I also blame Homeland for not keeping a closer eye on him as I told them in the report."

* * *

Homeland had cleared the private plane that brought them there to get them back to LA faster. They were met at the LA airport by TSA who ushered them quickly outside and got them in a homeland SUV and to the hospital quickly.

Rusty was there outside of the ER and he rushed them on in to a conference room where a nurse waited to advise them on Walter's condition.

Rusty pulled out his phone and showed Cabe a picture of Walter's assailant and Cabe nodded his head, "That was Tim Armstrong, son of a bitch. Oh crap." Cabe pulled his phone out and called Katharine Cooper, "Katharine, do you know Dr Andrews with the forestry service? Yea, he's the one that needed Scorpion to go early to the cave to administer the cure to protect the bats from that disease. What? Damn it, this was a set up from the start then. Thanks Katharine." Cabe hung up and looked at the guys, "I'm really sorry; it appears that Tim faked the call to get us to go to the cave early, while Walter would have to stay back at the Garage; and more vulnerable so he could attack him."

Cabe held onto Paige as she cried.

Rusty looked at Cabe, "What about Ralph, you still need me to go get him or anything?"

Paige nodded her head, "Please," she gave him Sara's address, "Thank you for giving Walter a chance."

Rusty nodded his head, feeling like he didn't really deserve it.

Happy's phone rang shortly after Rusty left to get Ralph, "Oh crap, Joyce Linehan." Happy took a deep breath, "Ms Linehan, I know we missed your appointment but this isn't a good time, we're at the ER waiting to hear about Walter. He was attacked by a psychopath while the rest of us were on case in another state. Sure, if you really need to come here, I'm sure I will be here all night."

"Just what we don't need now," Toby said as he looked at Paige.

"Don't you even dare suggest I go wait someplace else," Paige glared at him.

Toby held up his hands, "Not me."

Paige sat holding Ralph on her lap rocking back and forth. Periodically crying when Joyce entered the conference room, "Homeland connections are nice. Last time I was at the ER I had to wait with the general populace."

She looked at Toby and Happy sitting side by side, and she gave them a dirty look as she walked over and looked down at Happy, "So, how's your husband doing?"

Paige looked up, "Please Joyce, can we do this another time, or at least wait until we get word on Walter's surgery?"

Joyce looked up and saw how distraught Paige was and walked over and sat down next to her, "Would you like some company?"

Paige nodded, "Thank you."

* * *

Cabe kept pacing around the room unable to stop for more than a minute before starting again.

"Hey Paige, Cabe, we're going to go grab something to eat, you want to go with us or want us to bring you something back?" Toby asked as he got up with Happy and Sylvester.

Paige shook her head, "Do you want anything baby?" Ralph just shook his head.

Cabe also shook his head.

Joyce sat there stewing about Happy leaving to go eat, and she realized that Happy had to have stopped loving Walter some time ago if she could easily go off to eat while his life hung in the balance. Joyce stepped over to Cabe, "This whole situation is messed up. It's clear Happy no longer loves Walter that way and technically I am suppose to report this which would cause Walter's application to be denied." Joyce looked back at Paige and Ralph and how distraught they were, "Then there are those two loving souls desperate for the man, how do I not report what I know so I don't hurt the three of them?"

Cabe shook his head, "I don't know for sure, I know I've had to shave the truth a time or two during their work with Homeland myself because of questionable situations. I guess ultimately it comes down to if the greater good is served by reporting the unaltered truth or a selective portion of it. Kind of how the government does the same thing in reporting what really happens in situations. Would we as a country be better off with Walter as a citizen or worse if he was deported back to Ireland?"

* * *

It was a little after 2 AM when the door opened and a Dr stepped in, everyone was asleep but Cabe and Paige. He stepped over, "Good morning guys, it was really touch and go for a while but Walter pulled through. He's going to need a lot of convalescing after this but he's going to be fine when he recovers."

Paige broke down crying tears of joy, "Can I see him please?"

"It'll have to be quick visit." The Dr told her.

Paige passed Ralph to Cabe and kissed Cabe's cheek before following the Dr.

As the Dr led her into the small area where Walter was recovering from surgery tears ran freely down her cheeks, he looked so much worse than even after the rocket accident. She stepped up and tenderly kissed his left cheek. "I'm so sorry baby, but thank you for fighting so hard for us. I love you so much," Paige told him as she took his hand in hers and reached it up to press it against her cheek.

* * *

**Sorry Walter, I swear once we get enough money we're hiring you a stunt double. -Tim**


	2. Chapter 2

Joyce sat in her office yawning while staring at the blank report page for last evening's interview of Walter O'Brien's marriage naturalization request. She'd overseen hundreds of these things and not one of them had ever caused her to question the process, until now. Walter was clearly a special man, originally brought into the country on an Einstein visa. He'd found gainful employment in the tech industry perhaps not applying himself fully based on his ability but all of the interviews previous agents had conducted with his employers all revealed a truly remarkable young man. After her meeting with him the other week she was sure that somehow his file had gotten switched with someone else's. He had been personable in comparison to all the reports and while he indeed seemed to have an arrogant streak it didn't even come close to the reports.

All other reports had listed him as unbelievably arrogant and exceedingly condescending. All of his former employers had listed him much the same, their saving grace was he had the abilities to back up those attitudes. She'd read report after report from the various entities that Scorpion had worked for through Homeland and at first they all read the same but it seemed somewhere after he crashed that car off the cliff there was a turning point. He was still arrogant, condescending, and rude as some put it, but instead of being a fifteen on a scale of one to ten he was a nine and falling.

She'd gone back over the reports and reexamined each report meticulously and she noticed that right at the start of Scorpion working with Homeland his first few evaluations were much the same as prior but there were subtle changes. She started reading Paige's case reports for Homeland and she finally realized what she had been missing in the puzzle, the effect that Paige had upon him. She closed the folder file up and pulled her keyboard over and began typing into the report.

* * *

It had been two days since Walter had been savagely attacked by Tim as Paige sat in Walter's room listening to the machines as they continued to bleep out data on Walter's bio functions. Cabe had banished Toby from the hospital after Toby had gone back to the Garage the morning after the attack, and he accessed the security files so he could see what happened to Walter. Almost horrified at how close it had truly been, he made a copy of the file and brought it to the hospital. While showing it to Happy, Paige had walked out of the bathroom and became hysterical when she realized what she was seeing and hearing on the tablet Happy was holding. They were watching what happened to Walter and their nonchalant viewing of the almost death of their friend right there in Walter's room. While Happy wasn't thrilled that Paige had walked in on them watching it, Happy thought Paige and Cabe overreacted to the situation. Unlike them, Toby and Happy were able to compartmentalize what happened to Walter and so she chose to leave the hospital with Toby.

"P-Paige," Walter gasped out.

Paige's head came up, "Baby?"

"P-Paige, you got to leave, quickly. Tim's here somewhere, he's gone insane. He'll hurt you, I can't protect you. Please, run, find Cabe." Walter told her as he looked up at the ceiling unable to move his head.

"Baby, its okay, your safe now, Tim's gone, we don't have to worry about him ever again." Paige told him through tears as she stood up and looked down at his face and grabbed his hand.

"No, listen to me Paige, he stepped away to make a phone call, I'm too injured to move. Please, get on the floor and get out of the Garage, call Cabe as soon as you get outside. Oh no, oh no, he's coming back, please, hurry, you got to get out of here love." Walter pleaded with her.

"Baby, he's gone, he can't hurt you or me or anyone again. I promise you." Paige stared into his eyes. "Please believe me." Paige could tell by the look of his eyes he wasn't even seeing her staring into his eyes.

"He's gone? Are you sure? I could have sworn I heard him back by the Airstream. Please, get Cabe, you and Ralph have to be protected." Walter told her with tears running down his face.

"Its okay baby, its okay, Cabe's grabbing some coffee; he'll be back in just a few minutes. We're safe baby, I promise." Paige told him.

Walter grabbed at his stomach, "When will the ambulance be here?" Walter asked.

Paige looked at him puzzled, "Ambulance?"

"He caught me off guard, he hurt me so bad. My lung is punctured and he cut my stomach open." Walter told her.

"Baby, you're safe, you are in the hospital. You've been here for two days. They had you in surgery for almost twelve hours repairing all the damage." Paige told him through tears as she caressed his face.

Slowly Walter smiled a little as her words sunk down through the confusion in his mind and he saw her face finally as his vision cleared, "Why can't I move my head?"

"Don't try baby, it's just a safety measure, they are just trying to make sure you don't move too much to minimize any damage you could do while giving your muscles a chance to heal and strengthen." Paige squeezed his hand.

Walter smiled, "So you're safe?"

Paige smiled, "I am baby and I am so very happy you are still alive. I've been a nervous wreck."

Walter grinned, "Going to take more than an angry ex-boyfriend to get rid of me, so you'll have to try harder next time."

Paige smiled, "That's not funny, I'd hit you but I don't want you to hurt more."

"Noted," Walter said. "I don't hear anyone else, let me guess, they are downstairs eating?"

"Happy and Toby are probably at the Garage; Sly might be on his way here on the bus, Ralph's at school." Paige explained.

"So is Tim at LAPD or did Homeland take him?" Walter asked.

Paige shook her head, "No baby, he's gone. Cabe's friend Rusty shot and killed him, when he got there, it was right after Tim cut your stomach."

"That's going to leave a mark," Walter said with a little laugh.

Paige smiled, "Not funny. I'm so glad you're awake."

Cabe walked in, "Walt? Son are you awake?" He hurried over and stood next to Paige and looked down with a smile, "Damn good seeing you kid."

Walter smiled, "It's good being seen."

Cabe looked at Walter and put his arm around Paige, "How you feeling kid?"

Walter smiled, "Better now that I know Paige is safe."

Cabe looked at Paige puzzled.

"He thought he was still at the Garage and that Tim had just walked away to make a phone call." Paige told him.

Cabe nodded, "Must be a little left over from the drugs."

Walter smiled, "Probably, I told Paige she'd have to try harder; it would take more than an angry ex-boyfriend to get rid of me."

Cabe laughed.

"Okay, that's it; I'm unplugging your dinner." Paige teased him.

Walter laughed and winced, "I could use a kiss love."

Cabe smiled, "Sorry, I don't kiss on the first date."

All three laughed and Walter grabbed his stomach as it hurt. Paige bent over and kissed Walter several times.

"Joyce Linehan came out to the hospital that night; she sat with me the entire night. She was very kind and supportive. I think she was about to kill Happy and Toby when they left to go get something to eat while you were still in surgery." Paige told him.

"That was very kind of her." Walter told her as he tried to adjust his shoulders but the head board seemed to run under his back and so effectively stopped him from doing that. "Okay, this is very uncomfortable."

"Let's see if we can't help you." Cabe told him as he walked around to the other side. Putting their hands under his shoulders they gently lifted and laid him back down. Cabe asked, "How's that?"

Walter grimaced, "Man, that really hurt my lower back."

Paige nodded; "Tim caused a hairline fracture on your tailbone. It isn't serious or something they felt needed any surgical intervention for. Are you feeling better?"

Walter smiled, "Better, any chance of getting my head raised up? This ceiling is ugly. I'm too use to staring into the most beautiful eyes on the planet."

Paige blushed.

"Oh brother, anyone got some salt for this corn?" Cabe laughed.

* * *

An orderly pushing a cart down the hall hit the small bump in the hallway not far from Walter's room and the sound was similar to the Garage door closing.

Walter's eyes opened wide in terror, "Oh God, Cabe, he's back, he's back, you got to get Paige and get out of here, protect her and Ralph please. Oh no, he sees you, run, both of you, run." Tears were running down his face.

Paige began crying, "Baby, it was just a noise in the hall. Tim's not here, I promise you."

"Son, snap out of it, we're all safe. Tim won't be hurting anyone ever again." Cabe told him.

"No, can't you see, he's right there grinning. Oh no, he's got his knife, please Paige, run, get Ralph and run, Cabe you got to go with them and protect them." Walter cried.

Paige bent over and kissed him, "Please baby, listen to me and believe me, he's not here."

Walter stared at her for a moment, "Are you sure?"

Paige nodded, "No one is here but you, Cabe and me."

"Oh man, I could have sworn he was right there." Walter told them as he reached up and wiped at his eyes.

Paige looked at Cabe with dread in her eyes. "I think we need to get you some help Walter. You've gone through a very traumatic experience."

"I'll be okay; I just need some more time. Got to get these drugs out of my system so I can think clearer," Walter pleaded.

Paige looked at Cabe and then bent over so Walter could see her clearly, "Is it okay if I leave Cabe here for a moment and go get a coffee baby?"

Walter forced a smile, "Sure, just please be careful and hurry back."

Paige walked out and leaned her back against the wall and let out her breath and inhaled deeply. Finally she stood up and walked over to the nurse's station. "Hi, I'm Paige Dineen with Walter O'Brien; I need to speak to his nurse or perhaps her supervisor."

The receptionist turned around, "Hey Kelly, she needs to speak to you."

Kelly looked up and then got up and walked out the side door and came around, "What's up?"

"Walter woke up just a bit ago and I understand it could be because of the drugs he's on, but he's having flashbacks to when he was attacked. I'd finally gotten him calmed down and realizing he was safe when there was a racket out in the hall and it caused him to think he was back in the Garage being attacked again. I don't know what to do but I was hoping maybe you could get a Dr to come down and just talk with him. Just don't bring up the flashbacks please." Paige told her.

Kelly nodded, "I'll put a call in, it could take a little while though."

Paige nodded with a little smile, "Thank you."

"I'll put up some signs asking for quiet near his door so maybe that will keep down sounds that could trigger the memory if that is what is happening." Kelly told her.

"That would be really appreciated, thanks." Paige told her before returning to Walter's room.

* * *

Over the course of the next seven days Walter had relapses of being back at the Garage and being attacked but they were growing less frequent and Paige was able to talk him down quicker. The Drs had started giving him an anti-anxiety med to help deal with it but every one they tried he started developing muscle ticks, mostly in his hands which were bad enough for a computer programmer but a few caused him to develop a stutter as well as head and mouth ticks so before they released him they'd taken him completely off of them.

As Cabe and Paige helped get him out of the SUV Happy, Toby and Sylvester were there cheering for him. Walter smiled until they started towards the door of the Garage and he reached out quickly and grabbed the wheels of the chair and stopped them from moving as he stared at the door with fear on his face. They all gathered around and knelt down so he could see them clearly, each one being calm and reassuring that it was safe and that Tim couldn't hurt any of them ever again. Walter reached out and took Paige's hand and tugged on her and she bent in close to his face, "What is it baby?"

"Please, I need you. I need to know this is real, sit on my lap while we go in?" Walter whispered in desperation.

Paige nodded as she smiled, "If that will help you, of course." She turned and sat down across his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck as he wrapped his around her waist.

Cabe just smiled and with Sylvester's help pushed them through the door. Toby came in last being careful to quietly close the door. They'd painted on both sides of the door a reminder to whoever opened the door to close it quietly.

Walter was full of apprehension as he saw Paige's desk, he was thankful that he couldn't see any signs of his struggle. Then he noticed her phone wasn't on her desk. "W-Wh-Where's your phone?" Walter asked as Cabe pushed them past her desk.

"We have to order her a new one 197, you did a real number on it when you clocked that jerk." Toby told him calmly.

"M-Maybe move mine over for the time being." Walter said as they got him behind his desk.

Paige looked at him, "Are you okay? Or do you need us to sit here a little longer?"

Walter forced a smile, "I, I think I am okay."

Paige got up and Cabe pushed him under his desk. "Hail, hail, the king is back." Ray said as he walked out of the kitchen.

Walter looked over shocked, "Ray?"

"What's up Brosef? I heard you could use a friendly face so I thought I would drop by." Ray smiled. "Hey Phyllis," Ray said.

"Paige," everyone yelled back at him.

Ray smiled as he turned on the boom box and started playing some soft rock. "This place is too quiet, creates a bad atmosphere for other sounds. So how are you really feeling?"

"Actually, the music was a good idea, I don't know if it is because it changes the environment or if it just distracts, thank you." Walter told him sincerely.

* * *

Paige excused herself and went to the back of the Garage to use the restroom. At the hospital every time she went to the restroom she'd felt nothing but dread and would hurry back out and she had been looking forward to using a restroom where she wouldn't feel so bad. But almost as soon as she sat down that feeling of dread crept right back up and she hurriedly got done and almost ran from the room. As soon as she saw Walter sitting there she breathed a might easier.

As she walked back up front she heard Cabe arguing, "Absolutely not Walter. The last thing you need to do is see the footage from your attack."

"But it might help me better process what happened, most victims don't have that luxury, plus with my IQ I should be able to process it easier." Walter told him as he struggled with Cabe over his laptop.

"Are you kidding me? You needed Paige to sit on your lap just to come in the Garage. And you can kid everyone else but I saw how you were scrutinizing Paige's desk. You was looking to see if you could see any signs of your struggle." Cabe yelled and was just about to yank the laptop away when Paige stopped him.

"Cabe, you can't physically fight with Walter like this. You know his muscles can't take that." Paige yelled at him.

"I'm not letting him watch that video," Cabe told her.

"I get that and I agree with you. But we can't settle it this way." Paige looked into his eyes and he slowly let go and she turned and looked at Walter, "Please let go baby."

Walter stared at her and slowly nodded and let go of the laptop.

"Thank you," she smiled at him and turned to look at Sylvester. "Sylvester, did you do what I asked you to do?"

Sylvester nodded, "The video of what happened has been scrubbed. It no longer exists on our systems; I used Walter's doomsday protocol on it.

Paige smiled, "Thank you." Paige turned back to Walter, "Baby, I'm sorry but you really don't need to see that. At least not right now. Maybe when you are fully able to process what happened without reliving it we can talk about letting you see the copy Toby has. Okay?"

Walter was angry but whenever she looked at him like that he couldn't help but give into whatever it was she wanted and he nodded.

Paige walked around his desk and kissed him and gave him back his laptop.

Cabe looked at Sylvester, "Doomsday protocol?"

Sylvester nodded, "Walter developed a program that will completely obliterate any hard drive or selected file ten times more effective than what the US Military requires of it's above top secret data files."


	3. Chapter 3

Paige stood rather nervous outside the office door. Her hands clinging to the tablet in her possession, slowly she raised one hand and knocked gently on the door. A moment later it opened and a rather large man with glasses looked at her and grinned, "Ms Dineen, what a pleasure it is to meet you finally. Come on in and grab some couch, I had a cancellation so your early arrival works out."

Paige slowly stepped in and crossed over and took a seat on the couch as Dr. Rizzuto made himself a cup of tea, "Can I offer you a cup of tea Ms Dineen?"

Paige shook her head, "Thank you for agreeing to meet with me so quickly Dr. Rizzuto and please call me Paige."

Dr. Rizzuto smiled as he sat down, "Of course Paige, are we waiting on your partner?"

Paige shook her head, "I was hoping to talk to you about this first, before approaching Walter."

"You do remember I am a partnership counselor." Dr. Rizzuto told her as he took a sip of tea.

"This isn't really a partnership issue. We do need help though." Paige told him looking down for a moment at the tablet.

"What about Toby? Is he no longer with Scorpion?" Dr. Rizzuto asked.

Paige nodded, "Toby is too antagonistic and usually causes more issues, especially for Walter, than he actually solves."

Dr. Rizzuto nodded, "I can understand that, so why don't you tell me what brought you here then?"

Paige looked at the tablet again and took in a deep breath, "It all started almost three months ago. Walter and I finally cut through all the issues and we were going to move forward as a couple when he was seriously injured on the job." Paige spilled out the series of events leading up to Walter's return to the Garage following his assault at the hands of Tim.

"Wow that is certainly a lot in such a short span of time. And now it's all thrust you quickly past being a new couple into the role of twenty-four seven caregiver and dependent." Dr. Rizzuto said in shock.

Paige shook her head, "Please don't misunderstand; I'm more than happy and comfortable to be there for Walter in this manner. Having worked closely together for two years has helped in that, it is a little disappointing that we had to jump over the dating; I was looking forward to watching Walter grow during that time. But the problem is, he's still having flashbacks, but thankfully they are getting less frequent, and less intense, but, I'm having my own problem as well." Paige told him.

"Well the good thing is once Walter finally gets so far past the assault you can actually start dating then. I'm guessing that the tablet you are clinging to is central to the problem you're having?" Dr. Rizzuto asked.

Paige nodded as she turned it around for a moment so he could see, he could see through a camera focused on Walter sitting at his desk working. "I can't have Walter out of my sight for more than a minute and if I do I get this sick feeling and I become very nervous and anxious. The only way I can do anything away from Walter is to have this tablet which allows me to see him and follow him if he moves around the Garage and I know he is safe, but even still, like right now, I am still having small amounts of panic, and all I really want to do is run out of here, and go back to the Garage and be with him. I can't even go to the bathroom without it or I start thinking that something bad is happening to him. As Cabe told me I am even hypersensitive to any of them even slightly disagreeing with Walter. A mother bear on steroids as Sly told me."

Dr. Rizzuto spent the next hour discussing everything that happened in as much detail as they could. Paige felt a bit better as she left but she kept her eye watching the tablet as she waited for Happy to pick her up.

* * *

"How'd it go? Was he able to help?" Happy asked as Paige climbed into the new truck Richard had gotten her to replace her truck she had used to break into the bunker to save Walter following the rocket launch.

"A little, of course he was quick to remind me that this isn't his specialty, he didn't understand at first why I didn't want to seek out help with Toby, since he's already familiar with everything." Paige told her as she looked at the tablet.

"Hey, I get it, the Doc is a jerk a lot of the time and he's always pushing buttons he shouldn't be. I don't blame you. Which that reminds me, I don't think I apologized for the video at the hospital deal. We weren't trying to hurt or upset you." Happy told her.

Paige smiled, "Thanks, it just happened too soon, I was still emotionally a mess over everything, I'm sorry for how I responded."

"No problem, I've responded much worse at less offending things. So it's been almost two weeks since Linehan's been around, have you heard anything?" Happy asked

Paige shook her head as she switched to the kitchen camera to follow Walter, "Not since that night at the hospital now that you mention it. I wonder if that is a good or bad thing."

Happy smiled, "Does Walter know how closely you're keeping track of him?"

Paige smiled, "Actually he built the interface and the security protocols so I could access the Garage cameras outside of the Garage and the network remain secure. He's been so very supportive of it for my own sanity. He knows it's more about my fear then his actual safety. If he thought it was just about his safety he'd probably give me a hard time over it. He surprised me with it the third day he was home, said he had noticed I was having some problems and he made an educated guess as to what the problem was."

Happy looked at Paige for a moment, "Whoa, really? That's very surprising, I don't know if he's growing because of you or when he was slammed into the wall by the rocket's exhaust."

Paige saw her smiling, "You know I am kidding, as if he could have kissed you like that in front of us in the Garage that day if he wasn't already changing." Happy told her.

"Thanks for driving me there and back. Not sure I could actually drive; I'd be a nervous wreck trying to keep an eye on Walter I'd probably wreck for sure." Paige told her as she switched the view back to Walter's desk and she saw him look up at the camera and smile.

"No worries, I'd do it even if I wasn't enjoying the new truck." Happy told her.

* * *

Paige hurried into the Garage when Happy parked and almost ran over to Walter and kissed him, "Sorry, I know it isn't professional but I needed to do that. I really missed you." She took his hand in hers and squeezed it.

Walter smiled, "You don't ever have to apologize for that. I missed you too." He raised her hand up and kissed it.

"Hey Paige, when are you going to the store? We're out of hazelnut creamer," Toby yelled from the kitchen.

Paige rolled her eyes as she walked over and put her coat on the back of her chair, "You know, just because I started doing the shopping doesn't mean you can't. It isn't actually part of my job description Toby."

Toby walked out to her desk, "Fine, give me the corporate card and I'll go shopping."

Paige stared at him for a moment, "Seriously? You think I would just give you a blank check after some of the things you have pulled? You go buy the items and bring me back the receipt and I will reimburse you."

"What if you don't want to reimburse me for something?" Toby asked.

"It'd be the same if you bought something on the card I didn't approve of, I'd deduct it from your check." Paige told him with a smile.

Toby turned and looked at Walter, "Do you see what you have done? You've corrupted this sweet girl so bad she thinks bad about everyone."

Walter looked up at Toby, "Oh, I think she knows a pile of manure when she smells it."

Toby stomped off to Happy's area to bug her.

Paige walked back over and sat down at the chair beside Walter's desk. "Dr Rizzuto said he believes he can help me with how I've been handling all of this. He said he'd be willing to talk with you too if you are interested." Paige whispered trying to keep everyone else out of it.

Walter stared at her for a moment, "If it was just me I'd say no, but I know how much it affects you and Ralph when I do go through a flashback so I think it would be prudent of me to attend some appointments with you to see what he thinks."

Paige smiled, "Thank you baby. I appreciate that."

As Paige stood Walter gestured and she sat back down, "I know things have been really crazy for us these past few months and I wondered, if I can get one of the others to sit with Ralph, and Cabe wouldn't mind, I'd love to take you to dinner, if you're available."

Her eyes instantly teared up, "I'd really love that." She smiled and laid her hand on his arm, "When were you thinking? We could do it on one of Ralph's Caltech class nights. We could just take my car; I know your wheelchair will fit in the trunk."

Walter smiled, "You know, that might work out better. Maybe we could go necking a little after dinner." Walter smiled at her before he continued, "I'm really sorry we had to skip right over that part of our life and dive right into an almost living together arrangement as well as you having to help me do so much."

Paige looked at Walter with a puzzled expression.

Walter looked concerned, "Did I say something wrong?"

Paige shook her head, "It's just weird, I'd just talked to Dr Rizzuto about that today and to hear you say that." She glanced back at her desk and the tablet laying there charging. "You weren't listening to me were you?"

Walter shook his head, "The interface only allows for you to access our network. I had to lock down all the other ports on the tablet to keep the network secure and if I had tried to hack back into it, it would have caused serious lag issues of the video feed. Besides if I wanted to know what you talked with him about, I would have just asked you if you wanted to discuss what you talked with him about. I wouldn't eavesdrop on you love."

Paige smiled and stood up and kissed him.

Walter smiled as he whispered, "Not that I am complaining about sharing a bed with you. I rather like that." He winked at her.

Paige grinned as she whispered, "Even when Ralph sneaks in?"

Walter nodded, "Actually he wakes me up every time and asks if it's okay."

Paige stared at him, "That stinker."

* * *

The Garage door opened and a man in a suit and sunglass strolled through not paying attention to the warning and allowed the door to slam shut and everyone jumped and turned to Walter whose eyes had glazed over momentarily but he seemed to choke it back down as he struggled to slow his breathing. "What the hell, can't you read?" Paige demanded.

The man whipped off his sunglasses, "Agent Brent Spires, Homeland."

"Good for you, learn to follow directions or don't bother coming back here again." Paige demanded.

"You must be Ms. Dineen, I'm looking for Walter O'Brien. I need to go over this incident report concerning Tim Armstrong and I am tired of Gallo getting in the way." Brent told her.

"I'm Walter O'Brien," Walter spoke up.

Brent stepped around Paige and walked over and sat unasked in the chair next to his desk as the team gathered around. Brent looked around, "Unless you were present at the time of the alleged incident just go about your business. This doesn't concern you."

"Like hell it doesn't, first Walter's our friend, second he's our boss and we'll be damned if we'll let you come in here and run roughshod over all of us just to try and score some cheap points." Toby told him.

Brent stood back up and turned around to face Toby, "You think you scare me? I've had my ass kicked by pit bosses that make you look like a girl scout. Besides, I've got Happy on my side; she'll put a three quarter wrench socket through your head if you mess with us."

"I think you mean a three quarter socket wrench." Brent replied.

"Whatever it is, you knew what I meant. Now scram until you learn some manners." Toby told him.

Walter ran his hand down his face, "Guys, its okay, sit down agent Spires. I'd like to see your ID as well."

Brent pulled his ID out and handed it to Walter as he sat back down. Walter opened it and examined the badge and ID and picked up his phone and pulled up Katharine Cooper's contact and hit dial and speaker phone. "Walter, what a pleasant surprise, how are you?" Katharine asked.

"Katharine, as always a pleasure, I'm well, how are you?" Walter replied congenially.

"Oh just living the life of a bureaucrat, one boring meeting after another. How can I help you today?" Katharine asked.

Walter smiled, "We've got an agent Brent Spire here who says he's here to ask questions concerning the alleged attack on me by Armstrong and he's tired of Cabe getting in his way."

Katharine was stunned for a moment, "Alleged? Are you kidding me, he said alleged?"

"Yes, he did, he's sitting here next to my desk listening." Walter told her.

"You tell him to get his ass off your chair and get back to Homeland and come immediately to my office." Katharine told him.

"Thanks Katharine, by the way, we're having a cookout this weekend if you are interested, I can email you details later if you want." Walter told her.

"That sounds good Walter; I'm looking forward to it. Talk to you later." Katharine hung up.

Walter sat his cell phone down and looked at Brent, "Director Cooper would like you to return to Homeland immediately and come to her office." Walter extended his ID back out to him and as Brent went to take it Walter dropped it so it hit the edge of the desk and flipped down to the floor. "Whoops, sorry, must be an alleged after effect of the alleged attack." Walter told him with cold eyes.

Brent kind of nodded his head, "Fine." He got up after picking his ID off the floor and left the Garage allowing the door to bang shut again. But expecting it, Walter was able to endure it.

"Umm, when did we decide on a cookout?" Paige asked.

Walter smiled, "I decided as second in command we've worked hard the last few months and could use a little reward. Besides, I figured it would intimidate him even more."

Everyone laughed as Paige smiled at his insinuation that she held the power in Scorpion now and she slowly sat back down.

* * *

**Greetings dear readers, I hope you have enjoyed this re-imaging, I know it was a little rough on our boy genius and it certainly painted Tim into an even darker persona. But after going back over his scenes I still fell strongly that based on those scenes the character would seriously react very negatively with everything that happened in this story and would seek a horrible retribution against Walter as a way of punishing Paige. I know a number of people disagree with me on that. Anyway this story line is now on hold as I go back to finish the Betray story line. I'm thinking after that I might take a break, I've been writing non-stop for over 60 days and it seems like all of us could use a break from it. When I do come back which story line would you like to see continued, Knight or Uncivil War story lines? To the Adventure! -Tim**


End file.
